


Living in Denial

by swanpride



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-03
Updated: 2015-04-03
Packaged: 2018-03-21 02:30:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3674133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swanpride/pseuds/swanpride
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternate version of season three - kind of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Living in Denial

**Author's Note:**

> I can’t express enough how much I hated how Vikings developed in the third season. It is not just the killing of characters which still had so much potential, the story just falls apart on so many levels. I hated the mystical subplot. I hate that everyone is sleeping with everyone because apparently we can go an episode without a (deleted) sex-scene. I especially hate that what used to be “violence for the sake of realism” has become torture porn. There was no point in Rollo hacking into some random guy’s leg or the whole scene with Judith. For the first time ever I felt repulsed by the show. I think I’ll still watch to see where it will going, but unless the fourth season is particularly good, my solution will be to buy the second season and pretend that the show ended with Ragnar becoming king. 
> 
> But I naturally had, like everyone else I guess, some ideas how the show might develop. So I took my own ideas, some of the ideas of the actual show and came up with a mixture of it. Now, I don’t have the time to write a whole novel. So I decided to do the following: For each episode I’ll tell you what I liked about the show and what I would have kept from Hirst’s ideas and what I would have cut out or changed. And for the stuff I would have changed, I’ll write my own version of events.

_Now, the season started out pretty good. I would have kept the scene with the Seer, but with one tiny tweak. I would have left out the nonsense with all the men fleeing from their domestic problems. And I would have cut out the scenes between Kalf and Einer (which didn’t make sense either way). I liked the scenes in Wessex, though I would have said that the warrior which Ragnar left were still in the field because the war is still raging, not that they all died, but that’s a minor quibble.But I would have naturally cut out the awkward flirting between Judith and Athelstan._

 

* * *

 

_Those two scenes I would have added directly after the credits, starting with a close shot of the pattern on the loom or even the motion of weaving:_

Siggy loved weaving. Seeing the pattern before her eyes and controlling it. It used to be the perfect metaphor for her live. But nowadays she could only see the pattern, but her influence was lost. Even after her husband died she still had been able to recover a small measure of it, because at least Lagertha eventually came to trust her enough to listen to her advice. Aslaug, though, was way too much of a princess to listen to anyone unless she was forced too. Not that it mattered. Unlike Lagertha, Aslaug never managed to get accepted by Ragnar as a true equal. He treated her well enough, but he didn’t care for her opinion on anything. These days, he only listened to Athelstan and occasionally Björn.

The priest confused her. He was apparently not even aware of the power he wielded, and yet he did it so effortlessly. He rarely spoke up about anything, but when he did, people usually listened. She didn’t begrudge him this power, though. It was what had given her access to Ragnar’s household, after all. But Ragnar wasn’t one easily to manipulated, and, as she had learned, very good in reading people. He trusted her with her children, but not with anything else. A smart move on his part, she admitted to herself. While she felt kinship with Lagertha it didn’t extend to the man who murdered her husband.

Speaking of Lagertha, the jarl had taken the place beside her at the loom. That was unusual. In her position she had different obligations nowadays and she always enjoyed outside activities more than domestic ones. She excelled in it, because Lagertha was set to excel in everything she deemed necessary, but there was only one reason why she would take up this activity even though so much more important tasks were waiting for her. She wanted to talk.

“So, what did the seer say,” Siggy finally asked to give her an in.

“Nothing which makes sense yet,” Lagertha sighed. “Something about a harvest celebrated in blood and a city made of marble.” She felt silent for a moment. “But there is something which worries me. About a trickster waiting in the shadow.”

“You have any idea who that could be?”

“I have a couple of ideas, and all of them are most likely wrong. After all, if I knew, the trickster wouldn’t be in the shadow anymore.”

“That’s a possible interpretation,” Siggy admitted.

“I want to ask you for a favour,” Lagertha said suddenly.

“What kind of favour?”

“Come with me to Hedeby.”

Siggy was stunned for a moment. Surely Lagertha couldn’t be that desperate for company.

“What are you planning?” she asked, knowing that the direct approach was usually the best with Lagertha.

“I have been thinking,” Lagertha said. “When I go to Wessex I have to leave the responsibility for Hedeby to someone. Björn will go to Wessex with me to become a warrior, as he should. I could appoint someone, but who can I truly trust to look out only for my interests? I have no relatives in Hedeby who would back me up if someone gets ideas in my absence. You do, though. It’s where you were born after all.”

Siggy needed a moment to wrap her head around what Lagertha was saying.

“You want me to rule in your absence?”

“You are the wife of my former brother-in-law,” Lagertha said. “It’s a feeble connection, but it should be enough to give you acceptance, especially if your family backs you up. Do you think they will?”

Siggy’s thoughts were running through all options. “They might,” she said honestly. “I would have to reconnect with them first, but they owe me. I made sure to send them corn in the year the harvest in Hedeby went so badly. As much as we could spare to a reasonable price.”

“That’s why I want you to come with me now. Get to know the people again, get a feel for them. Will you do that for me?”

Siggy appreciated that Lagertha asked, because they both knew the answer. She would jump to a chance to take the responsibility again, even if it was only as a temporary stand-in. But then, Lagertha loved to travel. It would give her more power than she ever had.

“Women should stick together,” she said smiling.

 

* * *

 

To say that Rollo was not pleased was an understatement. “That is crazy. It will never work. You should wait for me here,” he objected.

“And do what?” Siggy shot back. “Acting as Aslaug’s servant? This is an opportunity. Not just for me, but also for you.”

“You plan to usurp Lagertha?” Rollo asked.

“No!” Siggy denied vehemently. And then added a little bit calmer: “No, but Lagertha has only one heir, and that is Bjorn. Who is also Rangar’s heir. He can’t be both, a king and an Earl. The gods might protect them all, but if something happens, you have a claim on Hedeby through my help.”

“I can stake my own claims,” Rollo spat.

“You can’t even betray your brother properly,” Siggy shot back. She took a deep breath. There was no use in angering him. “You have done well since then,” she said more softly. “You showed how good of a leader you are when you rescued Aslaug and the boys. You deserve this. So why are you objecting to me trying to give it to you?”

“To me or to yourself?”

“To us both,” answered Siggy and stepped closer to Rollo. “When we rise, we’ll rise together,” she whispered, stroking him lovingly over the back of his head.

He just stared at her.

 

* * *

 

_This is how the Helga/Floki scene would have continued after Floki’s “which family?”-line:_

 

“Just look at her,” said Helga, playing with Floki’s hand.

“I could spend my whole life just looking at her,” Floki answered. Suddenly agitated he sat up. “Perhaps I should stay when Ragnar travels towards Wessex again. He doesn’t need me. He has Athelstan.” He spat the name. “There is more than enough work for me here.”

“If that’s what you wish to do,” Helga said hesitantly.

“You don’t sound happy about the notion. Don’t you want me to be around you?” There was hurt in Floki’s voice.

“There is nothing which would make me happier,” Helga reassured him. “But Floki, you are not just a boat builder. You are an explorer at heart. Could you truly find happiness by staying here forever?”

“You don’t think I could?”

“I think that you know your own heart better than anyone,” she answered reasonably. “I want you to listen to it.”

"I think I might have gotten deaf," Floki answered, already storming away.

* * *

 

 

_That would have replaced the scenes in which Lagertha leaves and Einar and Kalf plot:_

One month spend in Hedeby and Siggy felt nearly home. Her family hadn’t exactly greeted her with open arms, but she had fast managed to charm herself into their good graces. Her uncle, for all sense and purposes the head of the family, had managed to gather a reasonable fortune in the years of her absence. He had influence. So far he hadn’t used it against Lagertha, but he hadn’t backed her up either. Siggy was sure though that he would see the advantage of having his niece in a position he would never be able to reach on his own.

Lagertha waited until the feast was on its high point and everyone was properly drunk, before she stood up, demanding the attention of the room. It was a credit to how much she had impressed her people how fast even the most drunken guests fell silent.

“It was a good year,” she started her speech. “The time of sitting at home, forcing to disgrace the gods by acting like pampered cattle are over. We are now true warriors again.” She raised her voice for the last words, and the people around her rejoiced, especially the young men. They all hung reverently on her lips. “We’ll go raiding again. But beforehand, as you all know, there is a huge opportunity waiting for us. Soon I’ll travel with King Ragnar to Wessex to claim the land which was promised to us. I had intended to take Kalf with me, leaving him an a few warriors in Wessex as protection for the new settlement, maybe giving him the opportunity to proof himself in battle should problems arise. Alas he expressed his desire to stay behind and I won’t dispute his wishes. I feel that he will be a great asset to my sister-in-law Siggy, who shall rule in my absence.”

A murmur went through the room. With sharp eyes Siggy took in the reaction of audience. Most looked stunned. Einer, of whom Lagertha had warned her, abruptly stood up and left. Kalf was gripping his cutlery with a forceful grip but was otherwise remarkable calm for a guy whose manliness just got insulted in front of everyone. Siggy’s uncle raised his drinking horn. “Let’s honour the daughter of our town, Siggy. And hail Jarl Lagertha. Might her venture be successful.”

The room broke out in chants of “Hail Earl Lagertha”.

 

* * *

_This scene happens during the journey. Thorunn and Lagertha are on the same boat (because it really bothered me that those two haven't shared one single scene yet):_

“Bjorn said you were very set on coming with us,” Lagertha said.

“You think I made a mistake?” Thorunn said defensively.

“Oh no,” Lagertha reassured her. “You are young, you should use the opportunity. As soon as you first child is born, responsibilities will chain you down. Now is the time to experience as much as possible of the world.”

“Bjorn tends to disagree,” Thorunn sighed. “He doesn’t want me in battle.”

“He is right,” Lagertha said. “You are still a novice with the sword. You shouldn’t spoil for fights just yet.”

“You fought when you were my age.”

“I learned fighting from the moment I could lift a wooden sword,” Lagertha pointed out reasonably. “You just started to learn.”

Stubbornly Thorunn pressed her lips together. “I have to start somewhere.”

“I won’t keep you from battle,” Lagertha answered. “You know very well what kind of price you might pay. But I want you to be careful. Don’t storm ahead just yet. To be a great shieldmaiden, you have to survive the early stages of learning. It would really bother me to bury you before you reach your full potential.”

Thorunn sighed. “I promise.”

* * *

 

 

_To clarify: The scene with the seer happened in my version, too, I just tweaked the part with the trickster a little bit. I considered taking out Kalf for good because the character doesn’t really convince me in the show, but then I decided to try out a take on him which might have worked for me by introducing the concept of self-fulfilling prophecies. The show already played with the concept with Jarl Haraldson in the first season, and to me it was time to repeat it. While in the show Kalf is clearly the betrayer, in my version I wanted to leave it open if he actually was one, or became one when Lagertha decided to do a pre-emptive strike against him, even though he had served her faithfully up to this point._


End file.
